All India Federation of Women Lawyers (AIFWL) will award former Supreme Court Justice Fathima Beevi [pictured] and Malaysian Senior Advocate, Saraswathi Devi, the Sthree Vakil Puraskar at Kochi on December 28 and 29. President Prathibha Patil and Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishna will preside over the program and ceremony.

AIFWL was set up in 1962 taking cue from parent organization Federation of International De Abogodas (FIDA) which was set up in 1944, and translates to International Federation of Women Lawyers, .

Speaking to Bar & Bench, the President of AIFWL, Seemandini, is positive that this will be one of the largest women oriented events this year. "We have chosen Justice Fathima Beevi for her outstanding service as first woman Judge of the Supreme Court and later as the Governor of Tamil Nadu. Malaysian Senior Advocate, Saraswathi Devi, who has served in various capacities including as the President of the FIDA. The current president of FIDA, Stella Ogbuma, is also scheduled to attend this event," she said.

Girija NN, the Secretary of Kerala Federation of Women Lawyers, told Bar & Bench that there are three round table conferences on Sexual Harassment in Workplace, Matrimonial Property and Gender Justice, organized ancillary to the main program in Kochi and is expecting atleast 800 participants.